希望能以自身的親身使用經驗來分享每一款3C產品在競爭激烈的市場上，扮演著什麼樣的定位，以設計、用料以及優缺點等各項環節分享，提供網友或消費者在選購前更精準的產品分析。
In current tough competitive market, you should know the product position, design concepts, components usage, pros and cons before you buy it. I would like to share my own experience to help you before making right decisions.

星期三, 8月 27, 2014

OC capability - Intel Core i5 4690K & Biostar Hi-Fi Z97WE

Earlier this year, Intel released a new generation of high-level platform,

using the same pin LGA 1150 chipset name to raise to nine series, and the highest level Z97 is as the current each MB brand's main product.

The CPU followed Haswell Refresh version of the chipset launched by Haswell architecture and the CPU looks like seemingly small change,

with the feeling of a little strange when matching, but also to indirectly make LGA 2011 market more narrow.

The MB new R & D is very slowly, and it is expected that the future platform for Intel dual consumption can catch the latest architecture, allowing the Intel Extreme platform more competitive.

Back to one of these dual protagonists in this test is BIOSTAR Hi-Fi Z97WE which carton packaging is changed to black, red and yellow color-based, and flagship Hi-Fi design is quite conspicuous.
Personal recommendations are further to reduce the number of board carton volume, and you can increase exquisite sense and can also reduce some freight.

For another protagonist Intel Core i5-4690K in the architecture of code-named Devil's Canyon Haswell Refresh,
with K behind the code for the highest level version of Core i5, it has the adjustment function of the multiplier.
4690K total clock is 3.5GHz, to support Turbo Boost Technology, up to 3.90GHz performance.

Physical 4 Cores is four threads, referred 4C4T, and built-in HD Graphics 4600 GPU which is as 22nm process as Ivy Bridge,
with the power higher than 88W, and 6MB of total L3 Cache.

The Overview of the Back
The left for the Haswell Refresh architecture Core i5-4690K
The right for the Haswell architecture Core i5-4670K

In addition, different Revision can be seen from the back, and the cooling material has been changed according to information on the Internet,
The following will do detailed testing, so users can better understand the performance of Devil's Canyon.

Not as in the past with black and blue color, this back Hi-Fi Z97WE two color instead of black and yellow
Size is 30.5cm x 24.4cm, general ATX common specifications

Most PCI-E and DDR3 DIMM sockets using yellow appearance
Mosfet area with Z97 chipset cooling module is the use of golden yellow, it seems the overall appearance is good

The right upper of Motherboard
4 X DIMM DDR3, supporting DDR3 1066 ~ 1600/1866 ~ 2800 (OC)
DDR3 capacity can support up to 32GB, supporting Extreme Memory Profile technology
The left Black is for the front USB 3.0, and the below is 24-PIN power input

The left upper of Motherboard

Both sides of the CPU power has strengthened passive cooling module

Z97WE is designed for 10 phase power , the top is for the power input for 8PIN

IO

1 X PS / 2 keyboard

1 X D-Sub / DVI-D / HDMI

2 X USB 2.0 (Black)

4 X USB 3.0 (blue)

2 X RJ-45 network hole

6 X Audio sound jack

The heat sink shape and design of Z97WE in Z97 chipset are quite nice

For M.2 new specifications with a lot of exposure in the next generation Z97 of the board area, its advantage is the maximum bandwidth can reach up to 1000 MB / s.

PCI-Express M.2 is also much higher than SATA3's current maximum bandwidth of 600 MB / s.

M.2's drawback is that the price will be relatively high, which will take up PCI-E bandwidth,

and if there is only one device, Raid can not be done. As for in the future what position for M.2 SSD to play in the market, let the consumer to make a decision!

Two kinds of language available in English and Simplified Chinese can be switched, and in the figure are many hardware Advanced Options pages.

CPU adjustment efficiency for the home page

Fix the multiplier on 45 4690K, which is 4500M

Then close the CPU C stats energy-saving technology, and the below is the built-in GPU's clock and Options.

DDR3 uses CORSAIR Dominator Platinum 2800C11.

After opening XMP technology, you can easily achieve a stable high-performance DDR3 2800.

The lower half of the page is for more advanced DRAM Options.

Voltage page

The CPU Apaptive Voltage Target designated as 1.23V.

After providing stable voltage 4.5GHz, CPU voltage becomes 1.248V on the left to display.

The bottom of the voltage page is for DRAM voltage because of opening XMP automatic ultra frequency technology

DDR3 is automatically set in 2800 CL11, DRAM voltage of 1.65V, and the left detected as 1.668V.

Archiving and leaving the page

The top is the BIOS setup options, the central is for selecting the hardware boot option, and the below is for the user to set the archive feature.

BIOSTAUEFI BIOS offers a wealth of options which are quite sufficient for the general setting or energy adjustment efficiency.

There are no built-in features with too many fancy, and no high-resolution pictures or large files of BIOS Figures.

For BIOSTAR UEFI BIOS, the response at boot set speed is very quickly, which can be considered as one of the advantages.

These are to set up the 4690K with adjustment multiple frequency and voltage ultra frequency, making CPU and DDR3 set for 4500 / 2800MHz.

For software, there are SmartSpeedLAN, appearing to be with the use of dual network chip.

Four automatic modes such as games, streaming, and browser are available.

Click into the applicationon on the left to monitor the program status opened in use currently.

On the advanced page you can enter the desired network speed, which is limited by the maximum download or upload function.

On the below there are also two functions to accelerate the reaction time and without delay of TCP, providind the use of closing or opening.

Smart EAR GUI

Hi-Fi Zone

Sound chip and associated capacitance are with gold lines around them, making the separatio of digital / analog, which can reduce EMI Nosie.

Non-Polarized Electrolysis Electric audio capacitors

Metal oxide resistors of metal-oxide film resistors, and then equipped with front headphone to expand audio chip, using a lot of sound-level design.

Just above Sound Chip, a metal shield printed with BIOSTAR Logo will glow red when in the power.

The devices for the actual listening equipped with entry for USHER S-520 stereo amplifier with Mic.

LF - drums still acceptable, bass do not go too heavy feeling If the details more clear, it is better.

IF - In songs or videos, vocal performance is clear, and a solid sense of sound is also quite good presentation.

HF - some music and sound details have a good ductility, and not too sharp condition occurs.

With Z97WE main materials used in Hi-Fi, sound quality is even better than the normal built-in Realtek sound chip of MB.

Perhaps many people feel Realtek audio performance is moderate, but the sound quality performance in the acquired materials and design also take up a very important part.

Unfortunately, this did not haze supports like before by Creative THX software or Samrt Ear 3D software

Otherwise, the sound field or low-frequency performance will further improve, and games or movies will have a significant environmental benefit.

Testing platform

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K

MB: BIOSTAR Hi-Fi Z97WE

DRAM: CORSAIR Dominator Platinum CMD16GX3M4A2800C11

VGA: SAPPHIRE Raden HD 6970 CrossFire

SSD: Intel 730 Series 480GB

POWER: ANTEC High Current Pro 850W

Cooler: XIGMATEK HDT-S1283

OS: Windows 8.1 64bit

CPU 100 X 45 => 4523MHz 1.230V

DDR3 2814 CL11 14-14-35 2T 1.650V

Nuclearus Multi Core => 29222

Fritz Chess Benchmark => 29.97/14387

CrystalMark 2004R3 => 425599

CINEBENCH R11.5

CPU => 7.65 pts

CPU(Single Core) => 1.96 pts

CINEBENCH R15

CPU => 679 cb

CPU(Single Core) => 176 cb

FRYRENDER

Running Time => 5m 28s

x264 FHD Benchmark => 25.6

PCMARK7 - 5208

These are 4690K stable performance capabilities of Intel code-named Devil's Canyon in the air-cooled ultra frequency.

Using mid-level tower-type cooler, and ultra frequency to 4.5GHz can pass by the above various heavyweight test software.

If using a high-order air-cooled or water-cooled radiator, you will have the opportunity to achieve more stable ultra frequency environment 4.6GHz

If for the only limit to pursue the case, that is, into the desktop stroll, ultra frequency to 4.7Ghz or more is not a problem.

Intel Core i5-4690K ultra frequency ability should be even better than the majority of 4670K, but still have to follow the constitution and the radiator.

DRAM Bandwidth Test

ADIA64 Memory Read - 34232 MB/s

Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 31461 MB/s

DDR3 bandwidth performance and ultra frequency ability is still the architectural advantages of this generation Intel Haswell.

The last generation Ivy Bridge architecture enables stable operation of only about 2666 to about 2400.

With the Haswell Refresh platform, you can also have high bandwidth like the last generation.

DDR3 ultra frequency ability with physique if strong enough, you have a great opportunity to overclock to 2800 to 3000.

Meanwhile pulse bandwidth DDR3 LGA 1155 platform is also much higher than about 13 to 27%.

Whether Haswell or Haswell Refresh is better in DDR3 table, if you want to pursue higher clock or bandwidth performance,

you may have to wait until next year a new platform for the next generation DDR4

Temperature performance (temperature about 30 degrees)

4670K operates IntelBurn Test to allow CPU to full speed operation time - 75 to 86